1890 AH Fine Engraving - How did they do this?

[Big Friend Ten (BFT)]

I need to thin out the gun safe and I had thought about parting with this AH which was made in 1890. I mounted the trusty Nikon with a 60mm Micro lens on a tripod and got to work. The photos produced proved to me the err in my thinking. I decided that I had better keep this Parker.

I thought that I’d share with my distant Parker brothers why this is one to hang on to. Take a look at the fine engraving. Some of these dogs are less than 1/8 inch in height! How did anyone engrave subjects that small?

Let's start on the left side of the receiver,

[Setter Man]

On the floor, gasping for breath. Gawd, that's beautiful.

[OH Osthaus]

oh my -

the dog are fantastic

and look at the scroll work.


thanks

[Big Friend Ten (BFT)]

How about a few more photos?

Trigger guard





Trigger plate





Forward portion of the trigger plate



Birds hidden in the trigger plate!



Check out the fox! Where is Ansley?



Right side of action



Dogs on the right



Right breach ball



Dog hidden in the marsh



Dog in marsh on left breach ball

[Setter Man]

It may be heresy but I'll take the dogs off a Grade 5 or Crown Grade Smith over any dogs ever engraved on a Parker.

[charlie cleveland]

what a nice parker the case colors remind me fall time of year....just to nice to take to the woods but something grand to show off to someone.... like us..... charlie

[John Havard]

Mark, what a wonderful, wonderful gun. Thanks for sharing.

A photography related question about your macro/micro lens. I too have a bevy of Nikon bodies but no macro lens. What caused you to choose the 60mm lens and what did you use for lighting while photographing this fine old gun?

Did you look under the trigger guard to see if it's signed by Harry Gough, or is it signed out in the open somewhere and I missed the signature?

[Big Friend Ten (BFT)]

John,

Stephen Dodd Hughes recommended the Nikkor 60mm Micro for firearms photography. Nuff said?

The 60mm Micro allows a very sharp manual focus and close ups to a few inches. Ideally I would have about a 35mm of a similar design for whole gun shots and maybe a 105mm Micro for super close-ups. The 60mm will do most of that with a lot of adjusting the set up. I own a 18-200mm but it is hard to get a sharp manual focus with it. An old style split screen viewfinder would probably help.

The studio set up is a little complicated. I am still striving to figure it out!

I use a black background/drop kit from eBay, studio softbox lights bounced off walls and ceiling, and many, many adjustments to find the correct light reflecting off the gun. Note: We never see an object, rather we see the light that is reflected off it. Add a tripod, electronic shutter release, and practice, practice, practice. I buy my camera stuff that I can't find on eBay from B&H. Check their used department.

I hope that helps,
Mark

[Mills]

That's a keeper for sure.

[Dean Romig]

Thanks for the treat Mark.